The number of children born to a woman during her lifetime, on average, is known as the total fertility rate (TFR). If you think about it, the TFR ought to be around 2.0 – two children per family to replace Mom and Dad when they pass away. A TFR of 2.0 allows a culture to maintain the status quo – it doesn’t grow but it doesn’t shrink. Actually, demographers say that the TFR ought to be 2.05 (the extra five-hundredths is to make up for infant mortality).
America’s fertility rate is 2.10. A few decades ago, you may remember, there was a major concern in the media about a “population bomb.” The fact of the matter is, however, is that there is more likely a “population implosion.” According to studies reproduced by Dr. Rodney Stark in his book, America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists, there are only two other western nations with a TFR above replacement level – Ireland (2.07) and Israel (2.96). In other western nations (European), although the nations themselves have below-replacement level fertility, it is the religious people who have above-replacement level fertility.
The same thing is true in America. The average number of children born to women ages 35-44 in the United States, to those who attend church more than weekly, is 2.34 TFR. The weekly-church-attenders have a TFR of 2.17; those who go once or twice a month have a TFR of 2.12. But those who attend less than once a month (1.86) and those who never attend church (1.7) are a dying breed!
According to Dr. Stark (page 64), the percentage of atheists in the U. S. has remained constant at about 4% of the population for several decades. Atheists, as a cohort, don’t believe in “family” or raising children so their fertility rate is below replacement level. They are able to hold their own only because they recruit from the “believers.” On the other hand, many children of atheists grow up to leave atheism!
Visualizing the improvement in this system may provide click for source order levitra consequent pain relief. 4. Phil took an instant liking to me. buying viagra in usa These can include a complete line cialis price in canada of supplements, to help you in your weight loss ventures, as well as teas and coffees are available. To create an environment that encourages compassion and empathy, students must do things together and then process their experiences in viagra 100mg tablet doing that activity. It comes as no surprise that religious Americans value marriage more than irreligious Americans. Among those who attend worship weekly, 73% are married. For those who never attend worship? 48% are married.
Not only marriage, but divorce as well… For the weekly attenders, 25% have been divorced. But, 33% of non-attenders have been divorced. It’s clear that Christianity/religion has a positive pressure on marriage and a negative pressure on divorce.
Tomorrow, I’ll write more about our demographic problem. Yet, as you can tell, the left – who support homosexuality (which is an enemy of the family), abortion (an enemy of the family), tax-payer funded birth control (which is a negative pressure on the fertility rate), and a host of other anti-marriage, anti-family policies – is actually dying out. Since they don’t believe in “family,” their replacement fertility rate is low and eventually, they’ll be a decided minority! The left is killing itself through its anti-family views. Next Monday, I’ll point out from Stark’s book that Christians make better parents!
So, save America – have more children (preferably two or three)! Then, keep them faithful to God.
–Paul Holland
